A palatial four-bedroom beachfront home on Sanibel Island was the most expensive house sold in Lee County in 2017, according to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

The home at 3577 West Gulf Drive on Sanibel Island sold on July 12 for $7.2 million. That’s more than last year’s most expensive home on Hickory Boulevard that sold for $6.45 million, or the 2015 winner in Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club that went for $7 million or the 2014 high sale in Bonita Bay of $5 million. It is just slightly less than the 2013 highest sale of an $8 million home on Sanibel Island.

In Collier County, a six-bedroom custom estate home at 3750 Rum Row in Port Royal, was the most expensive sale of 2017, selling for $17.7 million on May 1. That is more than last year’s $15.15 million highest price winner in Port Royal, but still a whole lot less than the $46 million home in Port Royal that held that distinction in 2015. It is also less than the home in Aqualane Shores that sold for $33.5 million in 2014 or the $30 million beachfront home on Gordon Drive that was the highest sale of 2013.

This home built by BCB Homes on Rum Row in Port Royal was the highest sale in 2017 in Collier County.(Photo: Submitted)

"Everyone got pretty shaken up after the hurricane," said Jeff Weiss, Multiple Listing Service and MLS Products for the Bonita Springs-Estero Association of Realtors as he explained why the high price in Collier is still much lower.

"For a few weeks after the hurricane there was no motion whatsoever. It took about two weeks, and after about two weeks, the market started going back. And people are still in the political mind; people are still worried about taxes."

That didn’t seem to affect the highest price home in Lee County as much because homes sell for a lower price than its Collier neighbor.

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The spacious Sanibel Island home has 5,942 square feet of living area under air and an expansive 7,477 total square feet.

"There is a tremendous amount of outdoor entertainment space," said Phaidra McDermott, broker/owner of Kingfisher Real Estate, who sold the house.

McDermott said it’s new construction that makes the house that was built in 2013 so attractive.

"With that house, what we are seeing in the marketplace is buyers are willing to pay premium for newer construction," she said. "For years it was in Gulf Harbour where there was new construction. Now you are seeing it on Sanibel.

"It was a matter of time because of our land values. Our land values are some of the highest in Lee County. Sanibel and Captiva will set the bar for the highest values in Lee County. We will continue to see those newer homes be the most coveted. Because the building process is pretty arduous and lengthy, so if someone can walk into a newer home, it is pretty attractive."

McDermott said the house itself was so beautifully appointed and has many expensive details. There are different exotic semi-precious stones from around the world in the kitchen and bathroom counter tops. There is an infinity-edge pool that overlooks the Gulf. The master suite features Cortecchia stone in the bath. There is a fitness retreat with steam shower.

"It is built like a fortress," McDermott described. "It is designed with low maintenance. It has all the bells and whistles of a home of this caliber. It sits in an area of the island called the Gold Coast. It has really great sunset views."

This home at 3750 Rum Row in Port Royal was the most expensive home sold in 2017 in Collier County.(Photo: Submitted)

In Collier County, BCB Homes built a spec house in Port Royal that became the 2017 most expensive sale. The six-bedroom estate home, built in 2016, has 10 bathrooms and spans 9,512 square feet under air and 12,435 total square square feet. It was listed at $19.95 million and sold for $17.7 million

Travis Smith, vice president of BCB Homes, worked with Gulfshore Development, an overseas development team based in London and Moscow, to create the home.

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This $17.7 million estate at 3750 Rum Row is in the Port Royal neighborhood in Naples. It represents the highest-priced home sale in Port Royal and all of Naples so far in 2017, as reported in the Naples Area Board of Realtors Southwest Florida Multiple Listing Service.
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty

The $17.7 million estate at 3750 Rum Row in the Port Royal neighborhood in Naples. The floor plan features large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the home’s expansive outdoor living space, pool and waterway.
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty

"Just the overall details and finish levels were pretty unique and spectacular," Smith began. "The ceilings in particular had all details that were done in a unique fashion with a unique flavor or twist. There was a ceiling in the living room instead of a typical tongue and groove we suspended each of the boards from the previous board sort of like putting together a puzzle. You had this feeling that the ceiling was suspended in the room. That theme was carried through to the stairs. They were also done with floating treads. That was a really cool detail that took a lot of time to think through and construct. It was unique to this home and very interesting when you walk through the front door. It is the first thing you see which is phenomenal."

While spec homes at such a high price point can be risky, Smith said he knew he found the right niche.

"There were spec homes in Port Royal, but they were not at this level," Smith explained. "The idea was to create a spec home at a quality and level that had not been seen before."

Tom Gasbarro, sales associate at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, sold the house.

"Looking back, it was probably as close to as perfect a spec home that could be built at that time," he began. "It really put a stamp on coastal contemporary interiors. The glass wrap, the view, the ceiling treatments — everything seemed to gel perfectly. This was contemporary without being stark. It had a soothing effect without being stark. The buyer was over the moon that’s for sure. People are still driving by. People are still talking about it."